It seems that it’s not just humans that are keen on a bit of cosmetic enhancement; rhinos are getting in on the act too!
Rosie the Rhino has had her horn replaced after it was stolen last year and it has now been replaced with a glass fibre horn that will be no use in any medicines.
Ipswich locals were left stunned when thieves broke into the museum where Rosie lived last July and sole her horn.
The theft was just one of 20 other raids at museums and auction houses across the UK and Europe that targeted rhino horns. The horns are used in Far Eastern-based medicinal products.
Investigations into the thefts have been carried out by the Metropolitan Police wildlife crime section.
Although there have been arrests for some of the raids, no one has been charged with the theft of Rosie’s horn or a rhino skull that was stolen at the same time.
The replica horn has been made especially for Rosie and has restored her appearance. It was made by experts in London who worked alongside Ipswich museum official Bob Entwistle.
Councillor with responsibility for culture, Bryony Rudkin, said: “We all think it is fantastic. You can’t see where it starts, it looks so real.
“We will have to leave this notice here and a sign to make sure people know it’s a replica. There’s no way of telling just by looking.
“The loss of Rosie’s horn last year was a huge blow to the museum and visitors were really shocked by what happened – they’ll be glad to see her looking back at her best.”
A sign has been put in place telling robbers that there would be no point in stealing the replica horn, although the robbers who stole Rosie’s horn in the first place may be disappointed to hear that it is believed to have been preserved in arsenic!
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